


Deofole on Deorcnese

by ellen_fremedon



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Anglo-Saxon, Gen, Poetry, Translation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2000-12-01
Updated: 2000-12-01
Packaged: 2017-10-02 13:01:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellen_fremedon/pseuds/ellen_fremedon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two fragments of an Old English verse version of "Devil in the Dark."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Deofole on Deorcnese

Fragment 1  
Old English

 

... scræfstapa     gesawon hafað  
ond mæg me mænan     swa micle ðæt weox,  
afol ond onlicness     aglæcan laþlices?

þa cwæð Æpelle,     Eonusisc smið,  
fruma ond fyrmesta     frætwewyrhtena:  
'Ic þone angenga,     in eaganbearhtme,  
felahiwedan     feond seah.  
Hafde on hrycge     haman stearcan,  
stanheard searonet,     strang wið ecgum;  
wundres weard     wlom was fæted.  
Ne swealt oþþe sweðrode     ac snella gewæt  
þonne ic mid leohtbogan,     leomawyrperan,  
sceoc in sceadum,     sceat þone laþne.'

þa þæt mann maðelode     mære to larcræfte,  
cuþ orþancum,     Kirces gesiða,  
Sareces sunu,     Spoc Healf-Vulcan:  
'Gif soþu beoð spelu     stanbuendes,  
swa mine gefræge,     mæla ond stæla  
færniða frecene     fremdene wihte,  
þonne swa swift swa secgest     se soþlic sceal beon.  
Ac hafde ic hyrde,     þæt heaðufyr ne mæge  
derian oþþe sceðan,     þonne daroð swiceð,  
missað ða mearce,     þæt modhus unfæge.'

Eft hleoþrode     hlaford Eonena:  
'Ne hildeleoma     hæleþa swicode,  
ne sefa to secge,     ne sierce aglæcan,  
deofole on deorcnese,     delfera banan.  
Grundlæstas gangan     ða gomelas nyllan;  
smiþþa beoð stilla,     stanas unceorfode,  
ligeð iren in eorðan     eall forlætan,  
gold in græfe,     grægan beorge.  
Wæron fifteg geferan     forburnen be attre,  
secgas ond smiþas     ond Smittere ðegn,  
be ligum liccode,     lichoman gemulton.  
Sceoldon þolian þearfe     þeode Hordwyrhtera  
magas gemunan,     murnan gesiðas,  
oþþæt cwellest ðu, Kirc,     cwealmcumen laðne,  
þæt gryrefah swebbest,     sorh gebidan.'

þa cwæð Æppelle     Kirce, lidfrean  
æðelan tungolscipes     Ellendæd haten:  
'Mid cenum cempan     comen bist ðu,  
lide lixungwrogen,     leohtbogum miclum,  
þa ða strengest sela     forslitan meahten,  
benc-þel byrnan;     ac beaduleoman,  
tungolscip þine     otþþe tirfæst werod,  
dyrstige duguð,     ne dugon in scræfum.'

Kirc maþelode...

 

Fragment 2

þeah hafde gehaten     hæleð delfera,  
gebeotodon lidmanna     bealdre, Kirke,  
þæt hie in scrafu     ne steppan wolde,  
ne folgian þa stiga     fotgemearces ma.  
þa sloh Æppele     anne wigendra  
heard be handum--     hilderinc Kirkes  
on flet þa feoll,     forleos his wæpen.  
Eonusisc beorn     Iotto hnossode,  
fæhða gemunde     ond feond gesoht.  
þa ða guðrinca eall     on grundstanum læg,  
to wæpne fengon     fætwewyrtan,  
wolde hie wrecan     wine-magas deore.

 

Fragment 1  
Modern English

...has seen the cave-stepper, and can relate to me how great that one has  
grown, the power and appearance of the loathsome monster?"

Then Appel, the Janan smith, first and foremost among the treasure-workers,  
said, "I saw the lone-goer, the many-colored fiend, in the twinkling of an  
eye. It had on its back a strong garment, a stone-hard mail-coat, strong  
against swords; the protector of the marvel was ornamented with fringes. It  
did not dwindle or die, but departed quickly, hastened into the shadows,  
when I shot the foe with a light-bow, light-thrower [phaser]."

Then that man renowned for knowledge, known for cleverness, spoke: Kirk's  
companion, Sarek's son, Spock Half-Vulcan. "If the reports about the times  
and places of the dangerous sudden attacks of the alien creature are true,  
as I have heard, then that one must truly be as swift as you say. But I  
have heard that battle-fire might not be able to harm or injure when the  
bolt fails, misses the target, the undoomed body."

Again, the lord of the Janans cried out: "The battle-light [phaser] did not  
fail for the warrior, nor his courage for the man, nor the armor for the  
monster, the devil in darkness, the slayer of miners. The men do not want  
to walk the ground-paths; the smithies are still, the stones uncut. Iron  
lies all abandoned in the earth, gold in the grave, the gray barrow. Fifty  
companions were burned to death by the venom, warriors and smiths and the  
thegn Schmitter; their bodies melted, licked by flames. The people of the  
hoard-workers must endure distress, remember their kinsmen, mourn their  
companions, experience sorrow, until you, Kirk, kill the hostile  
killing-comer, slay that one terrible in its variegated coloring."

Then Appel said to Kirk, to the captain of that lordly starship called  
Enterprise, "You have come with bold warriors, a ship wrapped in  
brilliance, great battle-lights [phasers] which could cut open the strongest  
of halls, burn the bench-floors; but battle-lights, your starship, even the  
renowned troop, the daring host, will not avail you in the caves."

Kirk spoke...

 

Fragment 2  
Modern English

 

... although the miners had promised Kirk, vowed to the lord of the shipmen,  
that they would not go into the cave, not follow the steep trail a  
foot-space more. Then Appel struck one of the warriors hard with his hands--  
Kirk's warrior fell then on the floor, lost his weapon. A Janan man struck  
Giotto, remembered the feud and sought the fiend. Then when all of the  
warriors lay on the foundation-stones, the treasure-workers took up weapons,  
wanted to avenge their dear companions.

-end-


End file.
